Chapter 14: ## Chapter 14: The Woman Behind the Locked Door
“ELENA!””
I ran toward: The Woman Behind the Locked Door
“ELENA!””
I ran toward the voice.
Detective Harris shouted for me to stop, but I barely heard him.
The basement corridor the voice.
Detective Harris shouted for me to stop, but I barely heard him.
The basement corridor was narrow, with peeling paint and exposed pipes running along the ceiling. At the far end stood a steel door with a small rectangular was narrow, with peeling paint and exposed pipes running along the ceiling. At the far end stood a steel door with a small rectangular window.
Someone was moving behind it.
I reached the door and grabbed the handle.
Locked.
“Marcus,” Elena called again.
I pressed window.
Someone was moving behind it.
I reached the door and grabbed the handle.
Locked.
“Marcus,” Elena called again.
I pressed my face against the glass.
A woman stood inside.
Her hair was shorter. Her cheeks were hollow, and there were dark circles beneath her eyes.
But it was her.
My wife my face against the glass.
A woman stood inside.
Her hair was shorter. Her cheeks were hollow, and there were dark circles beneath her eyes.
But it was her.
My wife.
The mother of my daughter.
The woman I had spent eleven months believing I might never see again.
“Elena?””
She put both hands against the glass.
“Don't let him take the.
The mother of my daughter.
The woman I had spent eleven months believing I might never see again.
“Elena?””
She put both hands against the glass.
“Don't let him take the girls.””
I turned toward Harris.
“Open this door!””
An officer examined the lock.
“Stand back, sir.””
He forced it open with a tool.
The door girls.””
I turned toward Harris.
“Open this door!””
An officer examined the lock.
“Stand back, sir.””
He forced it open with a tool.
The door swung inward.
Elena stumbled forward.
I caught her.
For several seconds, we held each other without speaking.
I felt her trembling.
I felt the bones beneath her thin coat.
I buried my face in her hair.
“I'm swung inward.
Elena stumbled forward.
I caught her.
For several seconds, we held each other without speaking.
I felt her trembling.
I felt the bones beneath her thin coat.
I buried my face in her hair.
“I'm sorry,” I whispered.
She pulled back.
“Why?””
“For believing you left. For not finding you sooner. For letting Vanessa— sorry,” I whispered.
She pulled back.
“Why?””
“For believing you left. For not finding you sooner. For letting Vanessa—”
“Marcus, stop.””
She touched my cheek.
“You didn't know.””
“I should have known something was wrong.””
She shook her head.
“You”
“Marcus, stop.””
She touched my cheek.
“You didn't know.””
“I should have known something was wrong.””
She shook her head.
“You were supposed to believe the lie. That was the only way I could keep you and Sofia safe.””
I looked at her.
“Where have you been?””
“Moving between places. Richard had were supposed to believe the lie. That was the only way I could keep you and Sofia safe.””
I looked at her.
“Where have you been?””
“Moving between places. Richard had people watching every location I used. When I found out he was moving Vanessa, I came here people watching every location I used. When I found out he was moving Vanessa, I came here.””
“Why this clinic?””
Elena looked toward the filing cabinets.
“Because this is where he kept the original records. And because I knew he would eventually come back for them.””
Detective Harris approached.
“.””
“Why this clinic?””
Elena looked toward the filing cabinets.
“Because this is where he kept the original records. And because I knew he would eventually come back for them.””
Detective Harris approached.
“Mrs. Cole, I'm Detective Harris. We need to understand what happened.””
Elena nodded.
“I'll tellMrs. Cole, I'm Detective Harris. We need to understand what happened.””
Elena nodded.
“I'll tell you everything.””
I took her hands.
“First, tell me about Sofia.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Is she safe?””
“Yes. Rachel is with her.””
you everything.””
I took her hands.
“First, tell me about Sofia.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Is she safe?””
“Yes. Rachel is with her.””
Elena closed her eyes in relief.
“Thank God.””
I looked at her.
“Mom told me there were three girls.””
Elena nodded.
“Sofia, Lily, and Vanessa.””
“And now IElena closed her eyes in relief.
“Thank God.””
I looked at her.
“Mom told me there were three girls.””
Elena nodded.
“Sofia, Lily, and Vanessa.””
“And now I find out there's a fourth child. Me.””
Her expression changed.
She looked at the envelope in my hand.
“Where did you find that?””
“In the filing cabinet.””
Elena took the find out there's a fourth child. Me.””
Her expression changed.
She looked at the envelope in my hand.
“Where did you find that?””
“In the filing cabinet.””
Elena took the document.
Her fingers began trembling.
“Oh, Marcus.””
“What?””
She looked at me.
“Your father wasn't your biological father.””
I stared.
“What?””
“Your mother told document.
Her fingers began trembling.
“Oh, Marcus.””
“What?””
She looked at me.
“Your father wasn't your biological father.””
I stared.
“What?””
“Your mother told me shortly before I disappeared.””
I shook my head.
“That's impossible.””
“Your birth records were me shortly before I disappeared.””
I shook my head.
“That's impossible.””
“Your birth records were altered. Richard raised you, but he wasn't your biological father.””
I looked at the photograph.
The teenage boy standing beside Richard Hayes.
The man I had called Dad.
altered. Richard raised you, but he wasn't your biological father.””
I looked at the photograph.
The teenage boy standing beside Richard Hayes.
The man I had called Dad.
The man who had supposedly died.
“Who was my father?””
Elena hesitated.
“I don't know his full name.””
“What do you mean?””
“Your mother told me he was a medicalThe man who had supposedly died.
“Who was my father?””
Elena hesitated.
“I don't know his full name.””
“What do you mean?””
“Your mother told me he was a medical researcher. He died before you were born.””
I stared at her.
“Then why would Richard raise me?””
“Because he wanted access to the research your biological researcher. He died before you were born.””
I stared at her.
“Then why would Richard raise me?””
“Because he wanted access to the research your biological father had been conducting.””
Detective Harris interrupted.
“What research?””
Elena looked at him.
“Your father was studying a rare hereditary condition. Richard wanted to use the children as part of an unauthorized project. He believed their genetic profiles could help him complete his work.””
father had been conducting.””
Detective Harris interrupted.
“What research?””
Elena looked at him.
“Your father was studying a rare hereditary condition. Richard wanted to use the children as part of an unauthorized project. He believed their genetic profiles could help him complete his work.””
I felt sick.
“And the girls?””
“Richard arranged for three babies to be separated. He wanted to control their medical histories and prevent their families from comparing records.””
“Why Sofia?””
“Because Sofia was connected to the originalI felt sick.
“And the girls?””
“Richard arranged for three babies to be separated. He wanted to control their medical histories and prevent their families from comparing records.””
“Why Sofia?””
“Because Sofia was connected to the original research. Her biological father had the same genetic marker.””
I looked at her.
“Who was Sofia's biological father?””
Elena lowered her eyes.
“You.””
I couldn't speak.
She continued.
research. Her biological father had the same genetic marker.””
I looked at her.
“Who was Sofia's biological father?””
Elena lowered her eyes.
“You.””
I couldn't speak.
She continued.
“Marcus, the DNA report you saw was manipulated. Richard wanted you to believe Daniel was Sofia's father.””
I“Marcus, the DNA report you saw was manipulated. Richard wanted you to believe Daniel was Sofia's father.””
I remembered the report.
The names.
The percentages.
The official-looking laboratory seal.
“Was it fake?””
Elena nodded.
“Daniel was paid to impersonate Sofia's biological father. He knew about the project remembered the report.
The names.
The percentages.
The official-looking laboratory seal.
“Was it fake?””
Elena nodded.
“Daniel was paid to impersonate Sofia's biological father. He knew about the project, but he wasn't the father.””
I turned toward Harris.
“Can we verify this?””
“We'll arrange independent DNA, but he wasn't the father.””
I turned toward Harris.
“Can we verify this?””
“We'll arrange independent DNA testing,” he replied.
Elena squeezed my hand.
“I never doubted you were Sofia's father.””
I looked at her.
“Then why didn't you testing,” he replied.
Elena squeezed my hand.
“I never doubted you were Sofia's father.””
I looked at her.
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I didn't know who was safe. Richard had access to people in the hospital, the police, and the company. Every time I tried to get help, someone found me.””
I thought tell me?””
“Because I didn't know who was safe. Richard had access to people in the hospital, the police, and the company. Every time I tried to get help, someone found me.””
I thought about the warning messages.
The storage unit.
The photographs.
The people who had watched our house.
Then I about the warning messages.
The storage unit.
The photographs.
The people who had watched our house.
Then I remembered Vanessa.
“Where is she?””
Elena's face tightened.
“Did you find her?””
“She disappeared during the transfer.””
Elena looked toward the basement entrance.
“Then Richard has her.””
Detective Harris immediately called remembered Vanessa.
“Where is she?””
Elena's face tightened.
“Did you find her?””
“She disappeared during the transfer.””
Elena looked toward the basement entrance.
“Then Richard has her.””
Detective Harris immediately called his team.
Elena continued.
“Vanessa wasn't originally part of the plan. Richard placed her in our lives because he wanted someone close to Sofia. But after she discovered who his team.
Elena continued.
“Vanessa wasn't originally part of the plan. Richard placed her in our lives because he wanted someone close to Sofia. But after she discovered who she really was, she became difficult to control.””
I frowned.
“Did she know she was one of the three girls?””
“Eventually. She found her original hospital bracelet. Richard she really was, she became difficult to control.””
I frowned.
“Did she know she was one of the three girls?””
“Eventually. She found her original hospital bracelet. Richard told her she had been abandoned. He made her believe Elena had stolen her family.””
I remembered Vanessa's cruelty toward told her she had been abandoned. He made her believe Elena had stolen her family.””
I remembered Vanessa's cruelty toward Sofia.
Her constant accusations.
Her insistence that Elena had walked away.
“Why did she marry me?””
Elena's eyes filled.
“Because Richard convinced Sofia.
Her constant accusations.
Her insistence that Elena had walked away.
“Why did she marry me?””
Elena's eyes filled.
“Because Richard convinced her that if she married you, she could remain close to Sofia. He promised her a normal her that if she married you, she could remain close to Sofia. He promised her a normal family.””
I looked down.
“And she believed him?””
“She wanted to believe him.””
Detective Harris received another call.
He listened, then turned toward us.
“We have located the vehicle used to transport Mrs. Cole.””
“Where?””
“An old warehouse near the river.””
Elena immediately stood.
“No.””
Harris looked at her.
“What is it?””
“That's where Richard took Lily.””
My heart began racing.
“Is she there now?””
Elena shook her head.
“She's supposed to be.””
“Then we need to go.””
Harris ordered his family.””
I looked down.
“And she believed him?””
“She wanted to believe him.””
Detective Harris received another call.
He listened, then turned toward us.
“We have located the vehicle used to transport Mrs. Cole.””
“Where?””
“An old warehouse near the river.””
Elena immediately stood.
“No.””
Harris looked at her.
“What is it?””
“That's where Richard took Lily.””
My heart began racing.
“Is she there now?””
Elena shook her head.
“She's supposed to be.””
“Then we need to go.””
Harris ordered his officers to prepare.
But Elena grabbed my arm.
“Marcus, there's something else.””
“What?””
She looked directly into my eyes.
“Richard didn't arrange the babies' identities because of money or officers to prepare.
But Elena grabbed my arm.
“Marcus, there's something else.””
“What?””
She looked directly into my eyes.
“Richard didn't arrange the babies' identities because of money or research alone.””
“Then why?””
“He believed one of the girls could expose the truth about his own identity.””
I frowned.
“What research alone.””
“Then why?””
“He believed one of the girls could expose the truth about his own identity.””
I frowned.
“What truth?””
Elena's voice dropped.
“Richard Hayes was never your father. And he was never the man he claimed to be.””
She glanced toward the filing cabinets.
“His real name is on truth?””
Elena's voice dropped.
“Richard Hayes was never your father. And he was never the man he claimed to be.””
She glanced toward the filing cabinets.
“His real name is on the original birth records.””
I turned.
The officer had opened another folder.
Inside was a photograph of Richard Hayes standing beside a younger man.
The younger man had my face the original birth records.””
I turned.
The officer had opened another folder.
Inside was a photograph of Richard Hayes standing beside a younger man.
The younger man had my face.
My eyes.
My exact smile.
On the back were three words.
The original father.
Elena looked at the photograph.
Then she.
My eyes.
My exact smile.
On the back were three words.
The original father.
Elena looked at the photograph.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“That's the man who was supposed to be dead.””
